Optical waveguide apparatus and method for manufacturing

Abstract

A device and method for interconnecting multiterminal electronic devices. e device and method combine the use of input light sources, output light detectors and an optical waveguide matrix device for routing the signals from various preselected input terminals to various other output terminals. The optical waveguide matrix device includes a number of intersecting optical waveguides formed on a base. The intersecting waveguides are optically coupled by means of reflecting surfaces formed at the nodes of intersection.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. An optical waveguide matrix comprising: a base having a plurality of sides and   at least one major surface which has a plurality of intersecting grooves, said grooves being arranged such that a matrix of intersecting grooves is thereby formed on said base, with at least some of said intersecting grooves extending between different sides of said base,   said matrix having a plurality of nodes where said intersecting grooves cross each other;         a dielectric waveguide material in said grooves such that a matrix of intersecting light waveguides is formed in the base, said waveguides having ends at the sides of said base,   said waveguides also having cuts made after and not contemporaneous with the manufacture of the base and waveguides at some but not all nodes; each cut forming a slot in the waveguide material that does not extend significantly into the base; and     a plurality of reflecting surfaces formed by said cuts at said nodes,   whereby a light beam traveling in any one of said waveguides may be deflected into at least one intersecting waveguide.   
     
     
       2. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 1 wherein the major surface has a plurality of recesses extending only a small distance into said base, cut across the nodes, said recesses having longitudinal axes oriented such that they form angles with the grooves, and the cuts in the waveguides are axially aligned with said recesses. 
     
     
       3. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 2 wherein the base is in the general form of a parallelepiped whose thickness is substantially smaller than its length or width whereby said parallelepiped will have two major flat surfaces. 
     
     
       4. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 3 wherein the matrix of intersecting grooves comprises one of the major flat surfaces having a first set of parallel grooves, and a second set of parallel grooves orthogonally intersecting said first set of grooves. 
     
     
       5. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 4 wherein the first set of grooves is parallel to one side of the major flat surface. 
     
     
       6. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 5 wherein the longitudinal axes of said recesses form 45° angles with said first and second set of grooves. 
     
     
       7. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 6 wherein the waveguides have only partial cuts such that a portion of the light will be deflected into an intersecting waveguide while the remainder will be transmitted through in the original direction. 
     
     
       8. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for causing light beams traveling in any of the waveguides to be deflected in a direction out of a plane determined by the major surface of the base. 
     
     
       9. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 8 wherein the means for causing the light beams to deflect comprises the waveguides having cuts therein, said cuts being located away from the nodes of the matrix, said cuts thereby forming reflecting surfaces in the waveguides, said reflecting surfaces being oriented at some angle relative to the major surface of the base. 
     
     
       10. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 8 wherein the means for causing the light beams to deflect comprises angled surfaces within the grooves such that reflecting surfaces are formed where the waveguide material interfaces with said angled surfaces. 
     
     
       11. An optical waveguide matrix comprising: a base having a plurality of sides and at least one flat surface having a first set of parallel grooves, said first set of grooves also being parallel to one of the sides of said base, and a second set of parallel grooves orthogonally intersecting said first set of grooves, whereby a matrix is formed on said flat surface, said matrix having a plurality of nodes where said first and second sets of grooves intersect,         said flat surface also having a plurality of recesses cut across said nodes, said recesses extending only a small distance into said base and having longitudinal axes   oriented such that they form 45° angles with said first and second sets of grooves;       a dielectric material disposed in said first and second sets of grooves such that a matrix of orthogonally intersecting light waveguides is formed, said waveguides having ends at the sides of said base,   said waveguides also having cuts at some but not all nodes, each cut being at and axially aligned with a given recess and forming a   slot in the waveguide material that does not extend significantly into the base;     a plurality of reflecting surfaces formed by said cuts in said waveguides, whereby a light beam traveling in any one of said waveguides may be deflected into at least one intersecting waveguide.   
     
     
       12. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 11 wherein the waveguides have partial cuts such that a portion of the light will be deflected into an intersecting waveguide while the remainder will be transmitted through in the original waveguide. 
     
     
       13. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 11 further comprising means for causing light beams traveling in any of the waveguides to be deflected in a direction out of a plane determined by the flat surface of the base. 
     
     
       14. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 13, further comprising: a plurality of input light sources positioned adjacent to the ends of the waveguides along at least one side of the optical waveguide matrix, and a pluraltiy of output light receivers positioned adjacent to the ends of the waveguides not occupied by input light sources,     whereby light from said input light sources may be transmitted through the optical waveguide matrix to preselected output light receivers.   
     
     
       15. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 14, wherein said input light sources are light emitting diodes and said output light detectors are photodiodes. 
     
     
       16. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 14, wherein said input light sources and said output light receivers are optical fibers. 
     
     
       17. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 14, wherein the input light sources further comprise means for connecting to a first electronic device and means for converting an electrical signal into a beam of light, and   the output light receivers further comprise means for converting an incident beam of light into an electrical signal and means for connecting to a second electronic device;   whereby electrical signals from said first electronic device are converted to light beams by said input light sources, said light beams are transmitted through the optical waveguide matrix to preselected output light receivers, whereupon said light beams are converted back to electrical signals for input to said second electronic device.   
     
     
       18. An optical waveguide matrix as recited in claim 17, further comprising means for collimating the beams of lgiht generated by said input light sources. 
     
     
       19. A method of manufacturing an optical waveguide apparatus for interconnecting multiterminal electronic devices, comprising: cutting intersecting grooves on the surface of a carrier base;   inserting a dielectric waveguide material in said grooves;   cutting, without extending significantly into the carrier base, a slot in the dielectric material at some selected but not all intersecting points leaving an ambient air space to reflect the waves into an intersecting waveguide.   
     
     
       20. A method of manufacturing a waveguide apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said slot cutting step comprises the step of cutting said slots at a time which is after, but not contemperaneous with said steps of cutting intersecting grooves and inserting of said dielectric waveguide material. 
     
     
       21. A method of manufacturing a waveguide apparatus as recited in claim 20, whereby the dielectric material is selected from the group consisting of silicone-rubber and plastic.